Bergamo was a very pleasant city. I was really only able to look briefly around the old town which is perched on yet another hill! The newer city sprawls on the plains below and is a very pleasant modern city with nice wide tree-lined roads. I took the funicular up to the old town, being far too lazy to climb the stairs and had a wander around the streets. It was lovely and quiet, and I like the duomo; lots of lovely tapestries hanging on the walls.

I stayed over night in a B&B in an apartment, and my host, Alex, picked me up just before 8am this morning to drive me to the airport (part of the service he offers for a modest fee) to catch my Ryanair flight to Luton in England. Can I just say here, that yes, Ryanair is a cheap airline, but that doesn’t mean we have to behave rudely people! What a bunfight. It was as if people were afraid they might not actually get a seat! Oh, and teenagers around the world are rude and thoughtless, excluding my lovely students of course - the passports might be different but the hormones are all the same…

So after a lovely meal prepared by Hilary (strawberries on the sponge cake prepared by Claudia) I am ready for a good night’s sleep, and a lovely visit with my friends!

I am staying at the quiet end of town which suits me; no trouble sleeping here!  My room is lovely; I am staying at Camere Fontanavecchia. Just up the lane as you head out of town is my favourite cafe, Il Pirata delle 5 Terre, which is run by two Sicilan brothers who make the most wonderful pastries for breakfast and serve fresh fruit slushies, such as fresh strawberry and fresh peach. Divine!

Last night I sat near a Canadian couple who turned out to be teachers and we shared a fantastic conversation. Today I wrote out the postcards for which my English Studies class are waiting anxiously (apparently - I got a ‘hurry up and send them’ email from Sarah this week), sat on the beach and read for a while, had a bit of a nap, ate fish and chips as I watched the sun set, and generally relaxed.  I am sunburned and well-fed and not really looking forward to leaving tomorrow!

I am taking the train to Bergamo tomorrow morning, and will be flying to Luton in the UK on Sunday morning.  I will pick up my hire car and drive to Nottingham where I will be stayng with Hilary and Keith, some teacher friends of mine. While it is sad to be leaving Italy, I am looking forward to company and conversations in English with people I have known for more than 30 minutes!

What was far more amusing was the sight of dozens and dozens of tourists posing strangly for photographs, every single one of them pretending to be propping the tower up.  Even more amusing was the lone security man shooing hundreds of people off that emerald green grass; no one ever thinks those bright red ‘keep off the grass’ signs apply to them.  While it wasn’t the highlight of my trip, the leaning tower is beautiful and worth visiting.

I walked down towards the Arno, passing the Uffizi gallery and taking a wander along the Ponte Vecchio to admire all the jewellry stores.  Frankly all a bit bling for my taste… although perhaps if I could afford something…  I had yet another icecream (so far I have tried melon, strawberry, pannacotta and chocolate chip… lots to go yet!!) and then made my way to what is probably my favourite church of all the ones I have seen in Europe, Santa Croce.  I love it because of its design, its history and its features.  Again I did the audio tour and learned ever so much.  I can’t always be bothered with the audio tour, but occasionally it is worth it.  This church was built by the Franciscans and has a lovely simplicity about it: terracotta tiles on the floors and a simple gothic structure.  The frescos were planned to teach the illiterate people of the community the Bible stories, and Florentines chose to be buried under the floor so their tombs could be trampled on, a symbol of humility.  Several notable Italians are buried here, including Machiavelli, Galileo and Michelangelo, and there is a memorial to Dante, who is not buried here. There is a lovely relief by Donatello called the Annunciation.  Its all a bit overwhelming really!

Today I decided to tackle the Uffizi Gallery, and the rumours of three hour waits are no exaggeration, I can assure you.  I was thankful for my novel and a few text messages from my dad (thanks for the brief respite Dad!).  However the wait is well worth it. I was able to see ‘The Birth of Venus’ by Botticelli, ‘Annunciation’ by Da Vinci and paintings by Raphael and Caravaggio.  I think that means I have done the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, with a few hangers on!  Its all a bit overwhelming really, seeing these paintings ‘in the flesh’ that you are sure are only in books. I had forgotten to mention in my earlier posting that in Venice I went to see the Peggy Guggenheim collection, so got to see works by Jackson Pollock, Francis Bacon and Picasso, although I think I needed someone to explain their significance to me to better appreciate what I was looking at.

So I have run out of time. I would liked to have explored a little beyond the city centre, but nevermind. Perhaps another time. So tomorrow, its off to see that dreadful architectual bungle, the leaning tower of Pisa!    

This morning all of Venice had something of a hangover, and I pity the fool who had to clean up the mess; I personally saw at least three glass bottles smash on the pavement… 

So today I am in Florence and feeling a little sleepy.  Time for a rest day anyway!  Off to see the sights  tomorrow! 

I haven’t been able to “do” everything, but have loved what I have done (have to save something for next time… yes, there will be a next time). I have wandered the laneways, not quite getting lost (I am amazed how easy it is to remember land marks and routes). I have travelled almost the whole length of the grand canal by vaporetto. I have taken the lift to the top of the bell tower and stood amazed at St Mark’s Basilica. I have visited the islands of Murano and Burano (Burano was my favourite; I loved the candy-coloured houses and the bell tower on a decided lean). I have eaten in tiny trattorias and stood enjoying the sensory overload at the fish market. I have had a random conversation with an old man on a vaporetta about the architectural history of the houses along the grand canal, and talked at length with an American nurse stationed at a US Army hospital in Germany whose job it is to treat the wounded from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Tonight there is a festival on the harbour and fireworks. The water is already filling with yachts of all sizes and it promises to be quite a party. Not sure if I can handle the crowds. We will see how the mood takes me! In the meantime I am off to Florence tomorrow. Wonder if George Emmerson will make an appearance this time? He didn’t get the memo that I was in town in 2005…

You can visit the house that the real Juliet lived in, stand on “that” balcony, wander through the house (beautiful it is too, well worth a visit for its architectural and historical interest alone), and grope the right breast of a statue of Juliet, which is supposed to bring your lover running.  I resisted the temptation, mainly because it involved standing in line with about 100 other tourists.  My future lover will have to find me another way!!  I also visited the tomb of the real Juliet, which frankly was a little cold and damp and miserable.  Don’t suppose tombs are supposed to be cheerful, cosy places though!

There are a number of sites of Roman interest also, including an arena smaller than the Colosseum but still impressive.  They were holding operas there in the evenings which would have been fun had I thought to get myself organised!  Ah well, off to Venice tomorrow.

Betcha Brad and Angelina never have this trouble…  They and the twins send their love, by the way!

I finally got some washing done today and spent the afternoon wandering around the duomo in Milan - spectacular.  Am off to Verona tomorrow to hob nob with the Capulets and Montagues!

The next day the plan was to walk from St Remy to Eygalieres, which sounded simple enough.  Only 18 km and the route seemed straight forward enough. However it was even hotter than the day before, and the path, which started out as a perfectly respectable mountain trail, soon turned into a rediculously rocky and narrow path that some moron thought would be most fun it it passed over a series of rocky ridges.  It was far too hot, my feet got shredded, and I decided that once I eventually made it back to the hotel, that was me done with the walking!  Wandering the streets of cute villages is much more sensible in this weather!After all I was mostly paying for the hotels and taxi transfers, not to have my feet shredded on those horrid rocks.  (for the record the walking was tougher than Ireland AND Nepal…).  All the villages were divine.  Not sure which is my favourite, but Gordes and Les Baux were certainly spectacular, while Fontaine des Valcause was quiet and refreshing.

So that was me done in France!  On Monday I was off to Italy… or so I thought!

I had treated myself to a first class rail pass (not as expensive as you might think) and very comfortably ejoyed the 2 3/4 hour journey through the beautiful French countryside. I was met off the train by a taxi driver (and by the way, it was nearly 10 degrees warmer here than in Paris - sorry to all of you who are shivering in SA - its about 28 in Provence!).  The driver took me to my hotel in St Remy-de-Provence, the Hotel Gounod, which is very nice indeed!  Wonderful decor, a gorgeous bed with white linen, bath products from L’Occitane en Provence (yum) and the scent of Verbena in the air!  Far nicer than what I would normally stay in.

I went for a walk around the old town, which was full of all those lovely crafts and products I could not afford nor had room for in my suitcase.  At 5pm I was met by Jean-Marc who was to give me an orientation on my waking tour.  He quickly whisked me through the topographic maps (too quickly?) then left me to it.

Dinner was a part of the package and was at the Hotel Le Mas des Carassins.  I ate the most gorgeous meal I have had in ages (5 courses) seated in a beautiful garden.  Just lovely!  Then it was a lovely walk home to my hotel and bed.